All Eyes on Me
by Remasa
Summary: Nino receives a Miraculous from an unlikely source. How can a newbie like him hope to compete on equal footing with experienced superheroes? It's a good thing he has a very tough trainer ready to get him into superhero shape! Two-shot posted for Nino appreciation week.
1. Hero

**_All Eyes on Me_**

 _Disclaimer: I own nothing_

 _Note: This is posted for Nino appreciation week._

 _Chapter 1: Hero_

"Mr. Lahiffe, we need to talk."

Coming from anyone, those words were enough to make Nino nervous.

Coming from Gabriel Agreste, those words scared him to death.

Coming from Gabriel Agreste when he was currently covering for his son and had _no idea_ where he was... Nino broke out in a cold sweat and debated just making a run for it.

He gulped, steeled himself, and looked up at the man staring at him with that familiar icy disdain. Mr. Agreste's eyes swept around the room. "Where's Adrien?" he asked.

"Taking a show-" the habitual excuse died on his lips as he spotted the door to the bathroom wide open. They could both see the reflection of the empty room on the mirror.

Mr. Agreste raised an eyebrow. "Try again, Mr. Lahiffe."

Why didn't he think to close the bathroom door? Nino gulped again. "He said something about getting a snack?" he offered.

"Did he now?"

"I think?" he left some leeway in his excuse in case Mr. Agreste decided to march off to the kitchens.

"Hmm," the frown deepened and Mr. Agreste studied Nino for a long moment. "Very well," he said at last, and Nino fought the urge to sigh in relief. "Follow me, please." He turned away.

"What? Why?"

Adrien's father glanced back. "As I said earlier, we need to talk." Nino briefly wondered if he should leave some kind of sign that he was in Adrien's room in case he just... disappeared. "Quickly, Mr. Lahiffe, I do not have all day," Mr. Agreste barked, sending Nino scurrying toward him in a skittish mess of arms and legs. _So much for that idea_ , he thought with a gulp as the door to Adrien's room closed behind him. He hoped it wasn't a sign that his fate was sealed. He followed the stoic designer downstairs into the atelier. Mr. Agreste motioned for Nino to sit in the sunken couches in the middle of the room. With an audible click, Mr. Agreste locked the door and turned to face Nino. _This is it!_ Nino thought with more than enough panic for the entirety of Paris. Mr. Agreste took out a tablet and sat down near Nino, fiddling with the screen for a moment.

"Enough with the games, Mr. Lahiffe," he said. "We both know exactly where Adrien is." He flipped the tablet around to show the live feed of Alya's _Ladyblog_. Chat Noir flipped over the head of the newest akuma victim and turned around to block an attack with his baton.

In an instant, Nino jumped to the defense of his friend, both literally and figuratively as he flew to his feet. "Whoa, du- sir," he corrected. "I know Adrien's friends with Alya and all that, but I _promise_ you he's not there filming with her. She barely even accepts _my_ help with her videos, and I know my way around equipment. She'd never let Adrien handle her phone."

Mr. Agreste blinked and his jaw dropped slightly. If Nino didn't know any better, he would have said that Gabriel Agreste was stunned into silence. But Nino knew the man was never shocked or stunned or surprised – and if on the rare instance he was, he never showed it visibly.

"You really don't know," he said in a near-whisper. His eyes sharpened as they studied Nino in a new light, critical and calculating. "You've been covering for him this whole time and you genuinely have no idea..."

Nino wasn't going to admit as much to the fashion mogul, and besides, he remembered his role. "Adrien's getting a snack," he reminded his best friend's father.

The look Mr. Agreste shot him, full of condescending pity and exasperation, did nothing to quell his nerves.

"I think we both know that's not the case," Mr. Agreste said, "And honestly, is that the best excuse Adrien could come up with?"

Actually, Adrien hadn't given him _any_ excuse, just a rushed "Nino, I gotta go out for a bit, can you cover for me?" like he usually did, then dashed out of the room before Nino could reply. Mr. Agreste was right – Nino had no idea where Adrien went off to in such a hurry, but he was his best friend and he would cover for him, without fail, to _anyone_. Even the fearsome Gabriel Agreste.

The man in question continued, "You have got to be one of the most loyal people I have ever met," he said, and now it was Nino's turn for stunned silence. Did Mr. Agreste actually... compliment him? The same man who banned him from his home only to ignore said ban with icy indifference whenever Nino came over anyway? The same man who sneered as he verbally ripped apart his senior designers over minor flaws and mishaps? Nino shook his head. Couldn't be. Must be dreaming. He'll wake up, finding himself asleep on Adrien's couch and the boy will have come back in with a grin and a flush to his cheeks like he had just sprinted across all of Paris in the last five minutes.

"All this time, you've been lying for my son and you have no idea where he goes. What he does. Why he vanishes so abruptly only to return minutes later with a half-hearted excuse and a bit out of breath."

"Adrien doesn't give me any excuses," Nino replied automatically, then gasped and resisted the sudden urge to clamp a hand over his mouth. But the words were out. Mr. Agreste stared at him once more, the shock on his face clear even to Nino.

"You've been... all this time..." Mr. Agreste trailed off, still in a state of stunned disbelief. Nino began to get worried.

"Du—uh, Mr. Agreste, sir, are you okay?" he asked.

Mr. Agreste shook himself out of his stupor. "Forgive me," he said, and Nino wondered if the day could get any more astonishing. After all, Gabriel Agreste had apologized. To Nino. "It would appear that I have chosen well."

"Chosen?"

Mr. Agreste smiled – it was more of a twitching of the lips, but with Gabriel Agreste, that counted as a full smile – and tapped the tablet. Nino glanced down and saw that Chat Noir and Ladybug were still engaged with the akuma. "I'm sure my elder mentor would disagree with my approach to this, but I was never one for dramatics. Adrien is Chat Noir. And I'm asking for your help to protect him."

A million thoughts raced through Nino's head as he stared at Mr. Agreste, certain his expression adequately conveyed his shock. "Uh, no offense, du—sir, but I think I would know if Adrien was Chat. He's my best bud."

"And he's my son," Mr. Agreste returned calmly, much more calmly than Nino would have expected to see considering his only son often threw himself recklessly into danger, if Mr. Agreste was correct. "I have decided to choose a successor. Duusu agrees with my choice."

"Duusu?" Nino repeated. Mr. Agreste merely smiled again.

"You'll meet her soon enough," he said, a knowing glint in his eyes. He reached into his pocket and held out a pin in the shape of a peacock tailfeather. "You've heard of Miraculouses, of course?"

Nino refrained from snorting – _barely_ – and settled for rolling his eyes. "That's the whole reason Hawkmoth is attacking Paris, isn't it? To get to Ladybug and Chat Noir's Miraculouses?"

"Yes." Mr. Agreste glanced down at the pin and motioned for Nino to take it. Nino folded his arms and continued to watch the designer with wary reluctance. "Again, my elder friend would probably have appreciated it if he were the one to select you, but this is my pin and I'll choose it's next owner. Well," he amended, looking thoughtful, "Duusu and I."

"Who is this Duusu person?" Nino asked, noting the odd name for the second time.

Once again, the fashion icon just smiled, and Nino thought he spotted a bit of fondness in his expression. "You'll meet her soon enough," he repeated. "Anyway, the three Miraculouses aren't the only ones in existence."

"Three?" Nino blurted out.

"The Ladybug, Chat Noir, and the Butterfly Miraculouses," Mr. Agreste listed.

" _Hawkmoth_ has a Miraculous too?" Nino spluttered.

Mr. Agreste tilted his head. "But of course. How did you think he got his powers? Ladybug even confronted him about it early on in her career. Now, we're getting off topic. As I was saying, those three are not the only Miraculouses in existence. There are many more and this is one of them."

It took another moment for the words to sink in. "That's a Miraculous?" Nino exclaimed, stumbling back a bit as he tripped over his feet. "How did you get a Miraculous?"

"It's the Peacock Miraculous," Mr. Agreste said. "And it was bestowed upon me many years ago. I have decided to pass it onto you, so that you may use its powers to protect my son."

Nino regarded Adrien's father with extreme suspicion. "This is a joke, it has to be. You're pranking me."

"I don't _prank_ people," Mr. Agreste said, irritation flashing across his face as he scowled at Nino. "I find it childish and a waste of valuable time. I am also one who loathes needless dramatics, so you'll have to forgive me if this presentation of a magical artifact is a bit duller and less theatrical than you might have hoped for. I'm certain it's not nearly as exciting as Ladybug or Chat Noir's first encounter with Miraculouses, but I assure you it's adequate enough for me." Well, at least the usual biting sarcasm was back in full force.

"Why me?" Nino said. "You hate me."

"No," Mr. Agreste corrected, "I was weeding out Adrien's friends, in order to see who only cared about his name and status. You are one of his only true friends, sticking by him day after day, ignoring my threats and disapproval. You've been at Adrien's side since day one and you've never let him down. You are the best choice for this Miraculous."

Nino didn't know what to say. He blinked at the man who for so long had struck fear in him, then peered down at the pin.

"Of course," Mr. Agreste huffed in annoyance, "that is if you'll actually _accept_ the Miraculous being offered to you."

Ah, that was more like the Gabriel Agreste he knew. He grinned. "So if I take this, what happens?"

"You become Paon," Mr. Agreste said as if it were the simplest thing the world. "I'll help you at first, walking you through your powers and whatnot." He leveled a look at Nino. "You have pretty big shoes to fill in this role, and I won't see you tarnish my legacy by fumbling around like an imbecile."

"Your legacy?"

Mr. Agreste sniffed. "Of course. I'm surprised your blogger girlfriend hasn't researched past superheroes. I was pretty good, if I do say so myself. You have a lot to live up to."

Nino sat back down and reached out with a shaky hand to grip the Miraculous. He glanced at Mr. Agreste, wondering if the man was laughing at him for being too nervous to pick up a brooch. But the older man just watched him with a placid expression. For the first time in his life, he felt that Gabriel Agreste was not judging him at all. His fingers tightened around the charm and he lifted it from the designer's palm. He held it up, examining it carefully.

"Where am I supposed to wear this?" he asked.

Mr. Agreste shrugged. "Wherever you want. It's a pin."

"Where did you wear it?"

"On my lapel." Mr. Agrested slid his gaze up and down Nino's casual choice of attire. "Obviously, that will not work for you."

Nino briefly debated attaching it to his hat, but then thought about how often a stray gust of wind knocked it off his head. He looked to his wrist, at the multicolored bands there. He hooked it through the bands. The moment the pin snapped on, a blinding blue light illuminated the room. Nino instinctively shielded his eyes. When the light faded, he lowered his hands, discovering with a small amount of satisfaction that Mr. Agreste also had to shield his eyes. He almost missed the blue creature floating in front of him until it spoke.

"Hello, Nino."

He practically jumped out of his skin, but the serene expression on Mr. Agreste's face grounded him. He didn't appear fazed. Then again, Nino wasn't exactly sure _what_ fazed him. Regardless, he refused to act afraid in front of the man. He gulped.

"Hello, uh... blue Miraculous dude?" he offered. Mr. Agreste's lips twitched.

"It's Duusu," the blue being greeted. Ah, the mysterious Duusu. "I'm a kwami. I grant you magical powers. How much has Gabriel explained?" The blue creature glanced to Mr. Agreste.

"Uh, nothing?"

The creature – no, _kwami_ – leveled a glare at Mr. Agreste, who returned it with a calm indifference. "Gabriel," it chided, "I told you to explain things!"

"And I told you," he answered back, "that I'm no good with children."

Duusu flew in his face and raised it's blue-feathered tail. "Gabriel! You agreed to help guide our chosen!"

"So temperamental, Duusu," Mr. Agreste replied, and Nino rolled his eyes. He was one to talk. The designer glanced over to Nino. "She's a bit of a worrier."

"I am not!"

"Uh, sorry to interrupt," Nino cut in, "but uh, how exactly does all of this work?"

Duusu sighed and turned to face him. "Gabriel came to me and said that he had finally found a worthy successor. He described you in great detail!" she gushed.

Nino looked at Mr. Agreste. "Did he, now? And what details were those?"

Mr. Agreste huffed. "Duusu, if you're going to explain to the boy, hurry along. We're short on time right now."

Duusu smiled at him with a secretive wink that seemed to say _later_. Nino hid his own smile. He was beginning to like this kwami. He wondered if Adrien's kwami acted the same. "I grant you the powers of the Peacock Miraculous. Gabriel wants you to protect his son. That's somewhat accurate, but not entirely. Your role in the group is not strictly protection, but rather _distraction._ "

"So I'm the bait?" Nino asked.

Duusu shook her head. "A peacock is flashy, vibrant, and eye-catching. You must _own_ the flow of the battle and direct the focus of the attention onto you, to allow your teammates to work to their fullest potential."

"Chat usually distracts the akuma so Ladybug can cleanse," Nino pointed out.

"That is not his true purpose. He is to clear a path for Ladybug. He is not the distraction, but rather the bulldozer."

Makes sense. Chat's Cataclysm certainly clears out objects. "Okay, so I... distract? That's it?"

Mr. Agreste shook his head. "That's your ultimate role, but no, you'll be as much a part of the team as any other. You work best, yes, when you're distracting the enemy. But that won't limit your ability to fight directly. And I can tell you'll be fantastic as a distraction."

"Thanks... I think?" Nino asked. He scratched his head.

Duusu flew up and nuzzled his cheek. "You'll do wonderful! All of my chosen have!"

"Uh, so do I have a catch phrase or something?"

"Certainly!" Duusu answered. "It's 'quills open'."

"Uh, right. Dusuu, quills open!" He stumbled back as Duusu flew to his bracelet. Something shot out of his back and Nino hopped around, trying in vain to see what was happening. He felt his clothes morphing into a longer suit and a mask settling upon his face. Two fans materialized at his sides. With a flash, the transformation stopped and Nino froze for a long moment, trying to process everything. Mr. Agreste watched with open amusement.

"Okay, so that just happened," Nino muttered.

"I think you look quite good," Mr. Agreste said, nodding with approval and shocking Nino for the millionth time that night with another compliment.

"Thanks," he said as his brain started catching up with him, "Wait a minute, you're just saying that because this is what _you_ used to wear, right?"

Mr. Agreste stood up, ignoring his question. "I'll let you get accustomed to using your fans and talking with Duusu. She has a voracious appetite, especially after she uses her Sonic Scream."

"What's Sonic Scream?" Nino asked.

"She'll tell you." Mr. Agreste pointed to his tablet. "The akuma has been cleansed so I believe it's time for you to go back to pretending to cover for Adrien. You'll need training if you're going to fight on equal footing with those two." He scribbled something down on a piece of paper. He paused and stared at Nino. "You can detransform now. It's 'quills close'."

"Dusuu, quills close," Nino recited, and his suit vanished. Duusu flew onto his shoulder.

"Great job, Nino!" she praised nuzzling into his neck.

Mr. Agreste handed Nino the piece of paper. "That's the address to an old property of mine. It's abandoned now and a perfect place to meet. Be there tomorrow night at 6pm sharp. You'll begin your training then." With that, he walked out of the room.

Wait... training?

* * *

 _Author's Note: Chapter two will be posted on day 4: "Nino vs..."_

 _Special thank you to PerditaAlottachocolate for beta reading this! Check out her contributions to this week as well, they're amazing._


	2. Nino vs

_Chapter 2: Nino vs. ..._

"Again."

Nino, transformed in his Paon outfit, flopped down on the padded floor. His chest heaved as he gulped in air. "Again?" he complained, refraining from making it come out like a whine. Barely.

"Again, Mr. Lahiffe." The no-nonsense voice didn't allow any room for negotiation.

"I thought I was under a minute," Nino replied. Anything to get an extra few seconds of rest.

"Sixty-five seconds, Mr. Lahiffe." Ivory shoes entered his line of sight. Nino glanced over to find the upside-down face of Gabriel Agreste frowning at him. Not a shred of sympathy on his face. He held a stopwatch in one hand and his tablet in the other. "My best time was twenty-seven seconds as Paon. Thirty-two seconds as a civilian."

"You attempted this course outside of the costume?" Nino asked.

"Absolutely." Gabriel held out one hand. Nino accepted and Gabriel helped him up into a sitting position. He handed Nino a sports drink. "You never know when you might be trapped without a way to transform. It's best if you keep your body in peak physical condition and not rely upon your powers as a catch-all."

"You were in shape then. I'm not."

"That's what we're here for," Gabriel replied.

"I bet you can't do that now," Nino muttered, somewhat under his breath.

Gabriel chuckled. "It's going to take much more than that to rile me. Stop dallying, Mr. Lahiffe."

"I understand," Nino said, struggling to his feet. "I think I might be a bit embarrassed too if I was a bit too old to beat the new kid."

Gabriel's lips pursed and Nino knew he had him. He eyed the course. "If I attempt this, you have to go until you beat my time."

Nino folded his arms. "That's assuming that you don't falter."

Two weeks ago, he wouldn't have dared to be so familiar with Adrien's father, but after talking with Duusu and training with Gabriel for nearly a week, he felt a lot more relaxed in the man's formidable presence.

 _Passion,_ Duusu had told him that first night when he peppered her with a million questions about everything. One of which was "why me?"

She had giggled and swirled around his head. "Gabriel senses your loyalty, but I sense your passion. You're so much like Gabriel was – full of life and fire and passion for the things you love. For Gabriel, it was fashion and designing. For you, it's your music. It enlivens you. Just like Gabriel uses his clothes, you show the world your emotions through your music." She smiled. "Us Paons are very passionate wielders."

The designer vanished into a storage closet, rummaging around for something before emerging at last, covered in dust. He held a red... kite? With a few twists and several hard shakes, the thin fabric stretched to form a large triangle. Gabriel knelt down and hooked a few metal poles underneath it. Ah, Nino now recognized the distinct form of a hang-glider. Gabriel stood, holding it by a thin string with a piece of Velcro attached to the top. "I need you to hook this to that other piece of Velcro up there," he said, pointing to a tiny black square at the top of a beam.

"Uh, ok," Nino said, taking the string and doing what Gabriel said. He flicked opened his fans and jumped back down to the floor, his fans extending to guide him gently to the ground.

Gabriel eyed the course again. "I'll have to get the touch pads working once more," he mused aloud. "It'll be easier than using a stopwatch." He looped the watch from his neck and handed it to the DJ. Then, he shrugged out of his jacket, tossing it to the ground and shocking Nino that he would just casually toss such an expensive jacket aside like it was nothing. "Ready?"

"What's the hang-glider for?" Nino asked.

"I don't have access to the fan gliders in my civilian form, and there really is no other way to cross the room."

"What?"

With a faint grin, Gabriel motioned to his watch. "Pay attention, Mr. Lahiffe."

"Go!" Nino cried, starting the timer. Gabriel took off, hopping up on a tiny brick to launch himself up to the next pole, swinging under and arching his back to effortlessly land upon a platform. Nino's jaw dropped as he watched the ex-hero duck, swing, and parkour his way around the room. When he reached the top, Nino gasped as Gabriel jumped backwards, twisting in mid-air... to catch the edge of the hang-glider, dislodging it from the Velcro holding and aiming it to the opposite corner. Gabriel landed with a neat roll and reached out, resting a hand against the wall.

"Time," he called to Nino.

Nino shook himself from his stupor and clicked the stopwatch. His eyes bulged. Gabriel climbed down the metal ladder and walked over, barely out of breath. He brushed his hands together and smirked at Nino, already suspecting the reason for his shock.

"Under a minute?" he guessed.

Nino gulped and nodded. "Fifty-five seconds," he said in awe. "How?"

"You don't trust yourself," Gabriel said, plucking the stopwatch from Nino's hands. "You hesitate way too long as you contemplate your next step. Don't think. _Move_. Let your instincts take over."

"Okay," Nino said, taking a deep breath. "Ready?"

Gabriel cleared the time and met Nino's eyes. "Ready."

Nino tore off, reinvigorated by the small pep talk.

* * *

"We're going to try something different today," Gabriel said. He held a crossbow in his hands. A red bolt rested on it. He hefted it and fired the bolt across the room, where it embedded into the wall. "Try to get that arrow before I do."

"Why?"

"Your physical condition is improving," Gabriel said, "as is your agility and instincts."

 _Well they sure better be,_ Nino thought. After all, for the last week he had been running that obstacle course in addition to hopping on beams and the tops of poles for agility. He was loathe to admit, but Gabriel's brand of strictness quickly molded Nino into a pretty formidable fighting force.

"However," Gabriel continued, walking to stand beside Nino, his hands clasped behind his back, "your role in the group is that of distraction. You have to master the art of distracting your enemy. That also means you cannot let your emotions get the better of you in battle and become _your_ distraction."

Nino scratched his head. "Okay."

Gabriel motioned to him. Nino bit his lip, then launched himself at the arrow. He learned after Gabriel's demonstration of the obstacle course never to underestimate him. The clever designer was up to something, Nino was certain. He just needed to get to the arrow before-

"Hawkmoth was my wife."

Nino faltered and stumbled, crashing to the floor. Gabriel calmly _strolled_ past him and with a deft tug, yanked the bolt out of the wall. He twirled it between his fingers as he turned back to Nino. "My win."

"Dude, Hawkmoth is your wife?" Nino screeched, scrambling to his feet.

"I said 'was'," Gabriel replied, just as calm. "She used to wield the Butterfly Miraculous before she vanished. I told you not to let your emotions overtake your sensibilities in battle," he scolded.

Nino waved his arms. "You can't just drop a bombshell like that and expect me _not_ to react!" he spluttered.

"Yes, I can," Gabriel retorted, reloading the crossbow as he scanned the room. "And you better expect your enemies to use every advantage they can seize to catch you off guard." He fired and the bolt sailed across the room, once again sinking into the wall opposite them. "Again."

Nino growled and shot off like a rocket. He took two steps and slammed face-first to the ground. Gabriel, once more, sauntered over to the arrow and grabbed it. "My win. Again." It was a good thing that Gabriel Agreste didn't share any peacock-like mannerisms, because Nino _knew_ the man would be preening with smugness in front of him if he did.

The tiny smirk was enough to shatter his pride.

"Urgh, what was _that_?" Nino demanded. Gabriel pointed to the crossbow. Nino realized Gabriel had stuck it low and swept Nino off his feet.

The former hero squatted down beside Nino. "Any reason you decided to act like a civilian and run straight for it?" he asked.

"What else am I supposed to do?"

Gabriel pointed to the walls. "Get creative. You can run along the sides of buildings, can't you?"

Nino winced. Oh, right. Gabriel stood. "Detransform and run a few laps. You let your temper get the better of you that time." He walked away, not allowing Nino a chance to argue.

Grumbling under his breath, Nino released his costume and started around the room. Duusu floated beside him. "Why can't I seem to get the hang of this?" he asked his kwami. "Mr. Agreste is right – I need to stop acting like a child and keep my wits about me."

Duusu nuzzled him. "Cheer up, Nino," she said. "Gabriel is really proud of the progress you've made so far."

"Doesn't sound like it," he gasped, tagging the far wall and turning back around.

"He's hard to read," Duusu agreed. "But remember, I've known him for years. He just wants you to succeed and not make the same mistakes he made and that he's watched Ladybug and Chat Noir make. He wants the best for you."

Nino sprinted to the wall, running up a few feet before backflipping off and landing in a low crouch. He immediately turned. "Uh-huh." He didn't have to try too hard to express his doubt.

"Still though," Duusu said, tilting her head thoughtfully, "I think you could use a bit of ammo..."

When Gabriel called time a few laps later, Nino struggled to keep his face smooth of any expression. His heaving shoulders helped to hide that.

Gabriel cast him a pointed look. "You can transform back, now," he said.

A few murmured words and a flash of blue, and Nino was ready for round two. Or was it three or four by now? Gabriel fired the bolt again and turned to Nino.

The DJ motioned ahead with a flourish. "After you," he said in a sweet voice. Gabriel's eyes narrowed.

"Mind games won't trick me," he said, setting off at a clipped pace, throwing a cautious glance over his shoulder every couple of steps.

Nino followed. "I know I'm not very good at distracting people," he said, his voice dripping with innocence. "Not everyone has a flair for dressing up like a woman and lip-syncing 'Sisters' with a partner."

Gabriel tripped over his feet.

Nino surged forward, eyes lighting up as he snatched the arrow from the wall. He turned to Gabriel, raising the arrow above his head in triumph. Gabriel pushed himself to his feet.

"Duusu, you little traitor," he muttered, his face aflame with embarrassment. He shook his head. "How long have you been waiting to reveal that little gem?" he asked ruefully.

Nino rubbed his neck. "Duusu told me when we were doing laps around the building," he confessed.

The corners of Gabriel's lips twitched despite the red tinge still on his ears. "Well, you certainly used that knowledge in the best possible manner. Congratulations, Mr. Lahiffe. I believe you've grasped today's lesson spectacularly."

And with the grace of someone desperately attempting to save face, Gabriel Agreste quietly exited the building.

* * *

Gabriel Agreste stood in the middle of the warehouse, eyes closed as he mentally plotted his course. A shuffling noise behind him indicated the arrival of Nino.

"You're late," he called out, disapproval thick in his voice. He opened his eyes and pointed up at the red arrow. "I have my path already mapped. I'll give you a ten second head start." He lifted his stopwatch. "Begin."

There was no movement behind him. Gabriel pursed his lips. "You're wasting your advantage," he called out. "I won't give you another."

A slamming noise startled him. He glanced skyward to spot a flurry of blue descending from the skylight. "Sorry," Paon gasped, dropping down beside the designer with a thud. "There was a problem with..."

He trailed off as his jaw dropped open. Gabriel's eyes widened and he whirled around. If Paon was standing in front of him, then who entered earlier?

Ladybug and Chat Noir stood there, wearing matching expressions of complete shock.

The four of them stood there facing each other for a long moment before Gabriel shook himself out of his stupor first. "What are you two doing here?" he snapped.

Chat recovered first. "I could ask you the same," he said, folding his arms.

"This is my property," Gabriel retorted. "And you both are trespassing."

"Yours?" Ladybug blurted out. "Master Fu said this place was abandoned."

Ah, he should have known that conniving old man wouldn't leave well enough alone. Gabriel's eyes narrowed. "Did he now?"

She nodded. "We're sorry," she apologized. "Master Fu said this would be a perfect place to train. We didn't realize you owned it."

"Who's this?" Chat said, pointing to Paon.

Paon hunched his shoulders and shot a nervous glance to Gabriel, but the designer stepped forward and rested a hand upon the blue-clad hero's shoulder. "This is the newest member of your team. Meet Paon."

Paon wiggled his fingers in a shy greeting. Chat eyed him with undisguised suspicion but Ladybug brightened and stepped forward. "Hello, Paon," she said with a smile.

"Ladybug, you trust him?" Chat asked. "This could be another Volpina."

She shook her head. "No, Chat, I don't believe so. I think Master Fu sent us here specifically to meet these two."

Oh, she was perceptive.

Chat wasn't quite convinced. "How come you never showed up in battle?" he asked Paon, the accusation as obvious as his crossed arms.

Gabriel answered in his stead. "He's only recently acquired his Miraculous. He's spent the last two weeks training. I refused to send an untrained hero into battle to stumble about like you two did. He would have only gotten in your way."

"And now?" Ladybug asked.

"He is ready." Paon perked up and beamed with pride. Ladybug and Chat Noir still looked a bit doubtful. "Hmm, perhaps a small demonstration, Paon?"

Paon looked to him. "What did you have in mind?"

Gabriel pointed to the arrow. "First one to get that arrow wins?"

Paon stretched and rolled his shoulders. "So, the usual then?"

"Somewhat." Gabriel looked to the other two heroes. "We'll be working as a team. Let's see how well Ladybug and Chat Noir pair up against us two. Us versus them? What do you say?"

Ladybug and Chat Noir looked a bit uncertain. "I don't know," Ladybug replied, biting her lip.

Paon smirked and turned to Gabriel. "Oh, I get it," he said. "I think they're afraid they'll be soundly defeated by a newbie and a civilian. Don't you?"

The fashion expert nodded with a shrug of indifference. "Appears that way to me."

As expected, Chat's eyes narrowed at the challenge issued by his father. "You're on! Let's show them how this works, Ladybug."

"Ugh," Ladybug said, slapping her forehead in exasperation. "I can't believe I'm agreeing to this."

"Ready?" Gabriel questioned. They nodded. "Begin."

* * *

As Gabriel turned away from the group and headed in a slow languid walk away from them, he cast a meaningful look to him. Nino picked up on the order. It was time to put his distraction abilities to use. He withdrew his fans. He wasn't going to disappoint Mr. Agreste.

"So uh, Master Fu?" he questioned. Ladybug ignored the question and attempted to sidestep him, but he casually cut her off.

She frowned and withdrew her yo-yo. "Sorry about this," she said in an apologetic voice to Nino, flinging her weapon forward.

Nino clipped his fans together and twirled his wrist in a tiny circle. The fans spiraled outward, forming a shield around his fist. Ladybug's yo-yo bounced harmlessly off of the blue barrier.

"Sorry for what?" Nino replied with a cheeky grin.

Fifteen seconds.

Chat smirked. He darted forward. Nino met him mid-stride and snapped his fans closed, bending down. He swiped at Chat's feet, using the bundled mass to trip the determined boy. Wasting no time, Nino opened one fan and flung it backwards at Ladybug who had taken the opportunity to attempt to dash by Nino when he was focused upon Chat. It smacked her on the back, knocking her to her feet.

Nino stepped in front of them both, holding out both fans like wings. He swept them around him, buffeting the air surrounding him in strong gusts. Ladybug shielded her eyes. Chat squinted against the wind.

Thirty seconds. If Gabriel needed more time than one minute, he had _seriously_ overestimated the retired superhero.

Nino thought fast and bowed low, stretching his fans out behind him. He fluttered the tips of the fans, turning his desperate attempt at distraction into an impromptu dance. He summoned to his mind every single strutting peacock image he could muster and channeled all of their vain glory into his dance. He kicked, slid, fluttered, and dazzled Ladybug and Chat Noir with wild arm movements and exaggerated footwork.

Forty-five seconds.

Ladybug and Chat Noir were slowly regaining their senses, climbing to their feet and exchanging a look between them that spoke of years of experience. They needed no words to plan their attack. Nino started to sweat and debated belting out a hearty peacock shriek.

A red arrow thudded in the ground at their feet. The three looked up to spot Gabriel standing upon the platform. He climbed down the ladder and stepped up beside Nino, eyeing him with a strange look upon his face. He appeared to be fighting the urge to laugh.

"Our win," he declared, his voice steady despite the obvious struggle to maintain a neutral expression.

Ladybug and Chat Noir gaped at them both. "Wow!" Chat gushed at last, turning to Nino. "You're pretty good for only been training for two weeks!"

Nino scratched his head. "Thanks," he said, a bit embarrassed. He glanced to Gabriel. "I uh, had a good trainer."

Gabriel shot him a withering glare. Nino grinned back, the picture of innocence.

"Oh, can we train with you?" Ladybug asked, bouncing on her feet in excitement. "Chat and I really need the experience."

Gabriel groaned, and Nino knew he would pay for setting him up like this. But Chat was correct: he was battle-ready in only two weeks and held his own against two experienced heroes. Gabriel picked up the crossbow and fired the arrow again at a random location. Gabriel turned and met each of their eyes. "I won't go easy on you."

Ladybug smiled. "I should hope not. Hawkmoth won't." Chat nodded.

Gabriel sighed, resigned to accept his fate. "First one to get the arrow wins. The other two run laps." Gabriel paused, staring at each of them in turn. "Well?" he snapped. "What are you waiting for?"

And the three heroes shot off, leaving Gabriel to watch them with his hands clasped behind his back. As Nino hopped over the barriers, he thought he spotted something in the shadows. A red and white pattern. He blinked and the shadow disappeared. Must have been his imagination. He turned back to see if Gabriel had noticed anything unusual and spotted the designer scowling at the same darkened corner. After a moment, something passed across his face and he inclined his head in a respectful nod. Nino smiled, glad he wasn't seeing things, and redirected his focus back on the course. He wasn't about to place anything but first.

 _The End_

* * *

 _ **Author's Note** : The comment about Gabriel dressing up as a lady and lip-syncing 'Sisters' is a reference to a scene in the movie "White Christmas", where Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye do exactly that (one a bit more reluctantly than the other) to distract a crooked landlord and a sheriff and buy time so the two sisters in question can escape out the back window. If you haven't seen the movie, you should check out that scene at least!_

 _I had always kind of hoped that Gabriel would eventually hand off the Peacock Miraculous to Nino as a sign of his acceptance of him, but alas, it appears that will only happen in this story._

 _Thank you again for all of your support! And a special thank you to PerditaAlottachocolate for helping me with the ideas and editing!_


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